Insurance guy. Theater guy. Rock band guy.
Tony Morin never has to worry about being bored.
Though sometimes he has to worry about the length of his hair.
Never one to shy away from either a microphone or a stage, Morin is the founding member of the band Farmhouse Project and the new Thread Theater. He spends his days as a consultant for an insurance company, his nights in front of an audience.
He wouldn’t mind being in front of that audience more. Maybe if Hollywood calls . . .
Name: Tony Morin
Age: 45
?Town: Lewiston
Married/single/relationship: Married with children. Most of them are in “the business” (theater).
Job: Vocational rehabilitation consultant at a life and disability insurance company
Do you feel a little like Superman — mild mannered insurance guy by day and rock star/actor by night? Probably more like The Joker than Superman. It is a definite duality. Sometimes I let the hair get a bit long for the corporate world or show up at work wearing a period-style beard. I usually hit up the barber on a quarterly basis, when I think I can’t get away with it any longer.
How did you get involved in music and the theater? I am the product of an artistic family. I was in music theater as a kid with my parents and siblings. We were also a “guitars around the campfire” kind of family. Very “Kumbaya.” I always wanted us to pursue a Brady Bunch, Silver Platters or Partridge Family kind of thing, but it never worked out. I started singing in bars when I was in high school, riding on the coattails of my super-talented musician friend. Fun times for a couple of high school guys. Then I lived in Worcester, Mass., for about 10 years, where I did a lot of college and community theater.
How did the Farmhouse Project come to be? It was my sister’s idea. My brother-in-law is a drummer. She realized she knew a handful of middle-aged dudes who might be looking to play some music. She put us in the same room and the rest is history. We’ll have our two-year anniversary this spring.
There appears to be a recent photo floating around of band members sporting bandanas over very long, wavy, blond ’80s hair that may or may not be wigs. Um . . . Care to comment? Uh . . . yeah . . . about that. I guess you do research. Like I said before, sometimes I let the hair grow long. Actually we play an annual Halloween party. We decided on a hair band theme this year. I was shooting for Bret Michaels, but someone told me I looked more like an Axl Rose/Dee Snider combo. I’m glad you didn’t find the Village People photo from the year before.
How did Thread Theater come to be? The Thread is an evolution of like-minded theater friends looking for an additional outlet. We were initially in a production of “A Christmas Carol” together, then worked at creating an improv troupe, but ultimately discovered the 10-minute play concept in Portland at the Crowbait Club. With their blessing and support, we were able to replicate it here in Lewiston. The name comes from “A Christmas Carol” cast member message thread that devolved into a fun, inappropriate comedic venue with hundreds and hundreds of posts.
I heard your play was the first one chosen the first night. Was it also your first script? It was the first script I’d ever written! I don’t really get stage fright anymore when it comes to acting, but I was terrified to have my play performed. What if people don’t laugh at the play but laugh at me afterwards? I lucked out by having some talented actors chosen. I received some good feedback.
Thread Theater sounds like improv on steroids. What’s it like as an actor to walk on stage with virtually no prep? Mostly it requires having no sense of shame and some quick-firing comedic synapses. Most actors have done cold reading for auditions, but The Thread requires performing in front of restless, boozy audience members, instead of a poker-faced director with a clipboard.
What’s the best part about being on stage? I would say the adrenaline rush that comes from performing in front of a live audience. There’s nothing better than making a theater audience laugh or having people at a gig dancing and asking for more.
What’s the worst part? When you realize that your synapses aren’t firing that day.
Ever think of chucking it all and moving to Hollywood where you will become immediately rich and famous? I’ve probably had that thought every day since I was 14. My company has an office in Glendale, Calif., less than 10 miles from Hollywood. I sometimes fantasize about transferring to that office after our kids leave the nest. I could mix in some auditions between the insurance work.
Which actor/musician would you woo for a joint appearance at Thread Theater and with the Farmhouse Project: Johnny Depp, Jack Black or David Hasselhoff? Ah . . . I see what you did here with this question. Nicely done. I’m French, not German, so the Hoff is out. Johnny Depp would no doubt draw some hot groupies, so he’d have to be considered. I’d have to go with Jack Black though. His comedic and musical stylings are a great match for each group.
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